The leader of Islamic State in Afghanistan was killed in a joint Afghan-U.S. operation last month in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials from the two countries said on May 7.

Abdul Hasib, who was appointed last year following the death of his predecessor Hafiz Saeed in a U.S drone strike, was killed in a raid by 50 U.S. Special Forces and 40 Afghan commandos, according to a joint statement by U.S. and Afghan armed forces.

"Within a few minutes of landing, our combined force came under intense fire from multiple directions and well-prepared fighting positions," the statement said, confirming an unofficial report on April 28 that Hasib was suspected to have died in the battle.

U.S. forces have been battling IS-linked militants in Nangarhar Province, where the extremist group has established a presence for its battle against Afghan government forces.

Nangarhar is the province where, on April 13, the U.S. military said 94 militants were killed after it dropped its most powerful nonnuclear weapon ever used in combat on what it said was a major militant command center.